THE STRAD September 1996
MUSIC REVIEW
Father of two illustrious musicians, Andrew and Julian, William Lloyd Webber was himself a remarkable composer whose poised, abundantly lyrical works have returned to favour after many years of unwarranted neglect. The composer himself tended to consider his works too Romantic compared with his contemporaries, yet this is exactly why his music has such appeal to today’s audiences. The Viola Sonatina, written at the height of his powers (1951), displays the essential qualities of his style. Though its flavour of Celtic Romanticism recalls the works of Bax and Ireland, it also displays a wealth of soaring, highly charged melody that clearly reveals Lloyd Webber’s lifelong admiration for the music of Rachmaninov. This Sonatina should prove an irresistible attraction to many viola players.
Robin De Smet